This past Saturday Blue Comet MC held its District 6 Harescramble Race in Skippack, PA. Although the weather forecast showed thunder storms the night before and showers throughout the day on Saturday, ironically we were blessed with sunny blue skies with a touch of humidity. It was a blessing in disguise because the track at Skippack is super tight and one lined. Even though we did get some showers the night before it made for a super tough race track, and a long two hour race. I got a good start, 3rd to the first turn, and headed into the woods section behind Noah D. The pace right off the start was fast, but only as fast as the track would let us – it was super slick. About a quarter of the way into the first lap I hit a tree and it sent me into a Venus flytrap of pricker bushes. I was pinning the throttle to try and break through them but they were so thick my bike wasn’t budging. After a couple minutes I finally broke loose and then my mud guard on my hand guards was dangling off, which was a huge distraction. It wasn’t until I saw Pitman Jimmy B and the end of the first lap when I could pull over so he could get it off.
I could see the rest of the class ahead of me and I didn’t have that much time to make up to get back in the mix. The track was really getting rough and riders were falling all over the place. The mud is like clay there and when it gets wet it is super slick. And since the track is 99% one lined, everyone was taking the same line making for some super deep ruts. There was really nowhere on the track where you could take a break so the track beat you down real fast. I tried to push pretty hard to make up some time but the track was difficult and the riders were making it tough. About half way through the race I went to use my back break and I couldn’t push the lever down. I never had this feeling before and it was weird. I like to tap on the rear break once and a while and with the track conditions how they were I couldn’t rely on using my front breaks so I pulled over to see what was going on. I think because the ruts were so deep the mud was getting packed under my lever not letting it go down. I dug under my break lever and pulled out a clump of mud and then I had rear breaks again. This happened to me two more times and it wasn’t till I was washing off my bike that I realized that I had about 10 feet of string wound up in my rear rotor. The track got rougher and rougher and the ruts got deeper and deeper. The one real muddy section I came across a stuck rider and when I tried to pass him in a tight slick spot I slid right into one of the deep ruts and I pinned it to try and get out but my bike was stuck. It took 4 guys to help me get it out of there. After the bottle neck that was caused they cut that part of the track out.
Realizing that I wasn’t going to be able to make up the ground and catch back up to the front of the pack, I charged just trying to stay mistake free for the rest of the race. After 2 grueling hours the checkers waved and I managed to hold onto 5th Place for a top five position.
The big news of the day was DHaggs Sr. taking home 1ST Place in his class! He and another rider were going back and forth all day. At about the halfway mark the other rider took off and made a break for it leaving #099 in second but DHaggs Sr. knew better and kept the same pace. He knew that it was way too early to be making a sprint for the finish with the track conditions like they were. Afterwards he saw the other rider and he said that he had to pull over to puke because he was pushing too hard. My Dad said “I knew you weren’t going to make it and that’s why I let you go.” DHaggs made the pass and took home the win!
Big thanks to everyone who made it out for the hometown race. It was a dream come true to have my wife and son there. It was his first time seeing his Dad race - and it will definitely not be his last! He’s got the gear; he just needs a helmet that fits!
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
I could see the rest of the class ahead of me and I didn’t have that much time to make up to get back in the mix. The track was really getting rough and riders were falling all over the place. The mud is like clay there and when it gets wet it is super slick. And since the track is 99% one lined, everyone was taking the same line making for some super deep ruts. There was really nowhere on the track where you could take a break so the track beat you down real fast. I tried to push pretty hard to make up some time but the track was difficult and the riders were making it tough. About half way through the race I went to use my back break and I couldn’t push the lever down. I never had this feeling before and it was weird. I like to tap on the rear break once and a while and with the track conditions how they were I couldn’t rely on using my front breaks so I pulled over to see what was going on. I think because the ruts were so deep the mud was getting packed under my lever not letting it go down. I dug under my break lever and pulled out a clump of mud and then I had rear breaks again. This happened to me two more times and it wasn’t till I was washing off my bike that I realized that I had about 10 feet of string wound up in my rear rotor. The track got rougher and rougher and the ruts got deeper and deeper. The one real muddy section I came across a stuck rider and when I tried to pass him in a tight slick spot I slid right into one of the deep ruts and I pinned it to try and get out but my bike was stuck. It took 4 guys to help me get it out of there. After the bottle neck that was caused they cut that part of the track out.
Realizing that I wasn’t going to be able to make up the ground and catch back up to the front of the pack, I charged just trying to stay mistake free for the rest of the race. After 2 grueling hours the checkers waved and I managed to hold onto 5th Place for a top five position.
The big news of the day was DHaggs Sr. taking home 1ST Place in his class! He and another rider were going back and forth all day. At about the halfway mark the other rider took off and made a break for it leaving #099 in second but DHaggs Sr. knew better and kept the same pace. He knew that it was way too early to be making a sprint for the finish with the track conditions like they were. Afterwards he saw the other rider and he said that he had to pull over to puke because he was pushing too hard. My Dad said “I knew you weren’t going to make it and that’s why I let you go.” DHaggs made the pass and took home the win!
Big thanks to everyone who made it out for the hometown race. It was a dream come true to have my wife and son there. It was his first time seeing his Dad race - and it will definitely not be his last! He’s got the gear; he just needs a helmet that fits!
I would like to thank my sponsors for all of your support: DHAGGSRacing, MSR Racing, Scott Powersports, Kenda USA, T.M. Designworks, DP Brakes, Scott USA, TAG Metals, Decal Works, Twin Air, IMS Products, Elf Oil, FMF, Cycra Racing, Regina Chains, and MotoSport
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